10 Most Popular Saudi Websites

Saudi Arabia has one of the largest internet-using populations in the region. While it may be obvious that international giants like Google and Facebook top the list for the most popular websites in the country, but what we wanted to know is which ‘Saudi’ websites are the most popular.

We turned to web traffic and ranking website Alexa to help us with our ordeal and we ended up getting some interesting results.

The list includes a healthy dose of news and government related websites. Some of these local websites that have been giving many of their international counterparts a run for their money. They have been consistently reinventing themselves to stay relevant. There used to be a time when local forums dominated the list, but international social media websites have taken away the flare from them. In the rapidly changing world of the internet, these lists can change within days, but as of now here are the most popular Saudi websites.

10. Alrajhibank.com.sa

Al Rajhi Bank is the largest Islamic bank in the world and rightly so. Two of the bank’s websites feature in the top 10. This website has grown almost double in the global websites rankings; from being close to 12000 to under 6000 where it currently stands.

9. Alarabiya.net

Originally a television news station, the majority of Al Arabiya’s shares are owned by Saudi broadcaster MBC. Al Arabiya’s website is not only limited to a Saudi audience, it attracts millions of visitors from other countries across the Arab world. The revamped English version of the website has helped boost the websites ranking.

8. Alriyadh.com

Al Riyadh was the first Arabic newspaper to be published in Riyadh. The newspaper continues to have good circulation of its print version. Of late, the website has matched the print version’s popularity and has retained many of its loyal readers.

7. Saudiairlines.com

The national flag carrier airline’s official website is leading the way for e-commerce in the country. The interactive website is easy to use, brings amazing offers every now and then and offers easy payment options for tickets. Airline tickets purchases form the majority of all online purchases in the country.

6. Moi.gov.sa

A one stop shop for most governmental services that a national or an expat counters on a regular basis is what makes the website a regular in the top 10. Almost every citizen and working expat are registered users on the website.

5. Almubasher.com.sa

The internet banking service of Al Rajhi Bank offers a plethora of services to its customers. Many of the features it offers are unrivalled by other banks.

4. Haraj.com.sa

It is the most popular free classifieds website in the country. Though the website features many classifieds from diverse fields, it’s mainly known for its car classifieds. Haraj.com.sa is a regular in the top 2000 global websites list in terms of number of visitors on Alexa.

3. Adslgate.com

A surprise member on the list, this forum features the latest from the technological world. Tech-savvy or not, it has something for everyone.

2. Argaam.com

It is the leading business news portal in the country. Argaam.com provides real time updates on financial markets and is available in English and Arabic. The website has a good database of financials of companies and is becoming the go to site for many looking for a local insight into Middle Eastern markets.

1. Sabq.org

The online newspaper has been making waves ever since it launched in 2007. For many, it’s a ritual habit to visit the site daily – no wonder Sabq.org is by far the most viewed Saudi website. Close to 95% of its readers come from Saudi Arabia and it doesn’t look like it will be losing its top spot anytime soon.